Potato Hill (OR) - North Face

Another weekend, another tour. This time we decided to hit Potato Hill, which has great access and 1,000’ shots. Even with its ease of access, it can be hard to hit, due to its relatively low elevation / minimal snowpack. Luckily, we had been blessed by a few storms and it now had the necessary coverage. The last time I had been there, it was during a big powder day and provided some pretty amazing turns, which I was hoping to repeat. For our crew, we’d be rollin’ six deep, with Iryna, Emily, Mark, Ethan and me leaving from Eugene and Andrew leaving from Salem.

Meeting up at the Potato Hill sno-park at 9am, we quickly readied our gear, did a quick beacon check and headed up the trail toward the summit. The approach itself is only two miles to the top out point, and luckily for us, a couple of snowmobiles had set a track, which made skinning quite a bit easier. The snow to the sides of the sled track was both deep and light and it was still snowing – all the makings of a good day! As we closed in on the summit, the wind picked up a bit but never got too obnoxious. Once we reached the summit, we transitioned over to descent mode and discussed a plan of attack.

Beacon check

Brandon and Emily get stoked for another tour!

Congo line

The crew, about halfway up.

With the longest and steepest shots being down the north face, we decided on that for our descent. Most of the terrain is below 30 degrees, but the entrance and final pitch are a bit steeper. In addition to any avalanche danger, the upper ridge of the hill was almost entirely lined with a cornice on the north side. It took us a little bit to find an opening, especially with the low visibility/ flat light. Before dropping in, I stomped on the slope and kicked lose a small cornice to test the stability. After feeling good with the stability, I gave Ethan the thumbs up and watched him drop down the face in his typical steezy style. Below the initial pitch, the run enters the matchsticks, burned out remains of trees, which both helped with the visibility and provided some fun slalom features. Once he was finished with the first pitch, I traversed over and dropped in for the first powder turns of the day – whoa, so good! A couple hundred feet down I pulled over and readied my camera while the others dropped in, with plenty of face shots and lots of smiles.

Ethan enters the north face of Potato Hill

Entering the matchsticks

Iryna digs in

Slashin'

Brandon enters the slalom course

Emily, setting up for the matchsticks.

Andrew, in the thick of it.

Below the first pitch, the slope mellows out quite a bit and allows for a fun little party ski. The matchsticks also give way to a wide-open shot with small trees and rollovers providing the only real texture to the fresh powder that blanketed the hillside.

Ethan gets a lift into the next pitch

Wide open glades

Emily, all smiles, as usual!

Party ski!

Before long we reached the final pitch, where the slope angle kicked back up to the mid-30s and larger trees, both standing and fallen, created a fun obstacle course. The snow was deep and provided just enough coverage to take advantage of the different terrain features. More than one of us dropped over fallen trees just to discover how big of a drop it was on the other side, which made for some good entertainment. Now at the bottom of the hill, right next to Hwy 20, we celebrated a great run and were eager to head up for another!

Ethan enters the final pitch

Still plenty of snow down low

Potato pow!

Iryna on the final stetch

Without the benefit of a snowmobile track, we were forced to break trail through the deep snow up the hill. Luckily for me (or was it deliberate…) I took longer than the others to transition over and didn’t have to put in any work setting the track. At the top of the first pitch, we were able to grab a sled track, which headed straight up the mountain with no switchbacks. It was just at the limit of what was possible to climb but certainly got us up in a hurry. On our way up, the sleds had returned and we had to step aside to let them through. As we neared the top, we found a few other groups that had also skinned up for some powder turns, including one group that had a few friend connections with ours. After joining forces, as a much larger crew, we de-skinned and got ready to drop in.

Heading back up for lap two

Ethan and Emily

The author closes in on the summit once again.
(photo by Brandon Mark)

For the second lap we angled a little further left, which allowed us to hit a nice wide-open shot for the final pitch. As a bonus, there were quite a few stumps with snow caps, which created perfect little pillows to boost off of. After popping off of one myself, I made a few turns and skied up and over a fallen log, not realizing how big of a drop it was on the other side. Carrying less speed than I would have liked, I dropped over the other side and cratered into the snow, much to the delight of my companions – too much fun!

Ethan drops a small cornice to start things off on round two. 

Diggin' in

Looking back up the first pitch

Anderw drops into the final pitch

Emily splits the pillows

Iryna enters the scene

Iryna stomps one of the fun pillows on the final pitch

The author finishing up the second lap
(photo by Andrew Boes)

Not satisfied with just two laps, we headed back up for one more. The snow was really starting to come down at this point and the visibility went to shit, so I put the camera away and just focused on my line. Once again it was all smiling on the way down, with powder turns, a few crashes and plenty of laughs along the way.

Losing visibility

Iryna finishes up lap 3

We did decide to skin up one more time and drop down the ridge to the car, as opposed to traversing alongside Hwy 20. Once at the ridge top, we were able to rip skins and ski the low angle terrain until we reached the final pitch back to the car. The snowpack on the last bit was a little shallower and we had to pick our way down. The really nice part about this though was that we were able to ski right to the car without skinning up or doing any hiking – now that’s the way to end a tour!

Conclusion:
Potato Hill is a fantastic tour option if conditions permit – unfortunately this isn’t often enough. The skin in is easy-peasy and getting to ski the matchsticks is pretty damn fun, especially in powder conditions. Most people I’ve talked to about it haven’t considered touring there and are surprised to hear that the shots from the summit on the north face are ~1,000’. This is a little surprising since it’s right beside Hoodoo and you drive right past it when you're heading up toward the pass. It might have something to do with the name, maybe it just doesn’t sound tough enough…

The tracks from our tour:

Sand Mountain (OR) - East Face

Finding ourselves with another weekend of deep powder (by PNW standards) and touchy avalanche conditions, we debated on the best place to tour. Originally we’d planned to hit Crater Lake but later decided that it would be too long of a drive knowing that we could get shut down and forced onto low angle terrain. One option that I’ve been keeping in my back pocket was Sand Mountain, which provided lots of aspect and slope angle options combined with a much shorter drive from Eugene. All I knew about Sand Mountain was that it looked really good from the top of Hoodoo and that it was quite popular with the snowmobile crowd, which is not surprising since the entire east face is a designated hill climb area -- I’m guessing that the sled traffic is probably why it isn’t a more popular ski tour destination. The one benefit of the snowmobile traffic is that the trail from Little Nash sno-park is often groomed, making the ~4 mile approach a bit more palatable.

Sand Mountain, from the top of Hoodoo Butte

With favorable weather forecasted for Sunday, we figured that would be the better day for a tour. Jace and I met up in Eugene at 6am and reached Little Nash sno-park around 7:30am, where Andrew was waiting for us in the parking lot. After some final gear preparation and a quick beacon check, we started the approach on trail 301. The trail was indeed packed down, which accommodated a fairly rapid ski in. The snow lining the sides of the trail was both deep and dry, which increased the optimism for our tour choice. After 2 ½ miles we made a left onto trail 300 (aka. Old Santiam Wagon Road), where the approach got a bit steeper. Over the next mile and a half, we caught a few glimpses of Sand Mountain as well as some hills to the north, which had some promising ski terrain and would provide a nice backup if for some reason we were shut down at our main objective.

Setting off from the Little Nash sno-park

Taking advantage of the manicured approach trail

Andrew and I settle in for the long approach
(photo by Jace Akerlund)

A view of the hills to the north of Sand Mountain -- looking very skiable!
(photo by Andrew Boes)

Now at the base of Sand Mountain, we left the established trail and broke our own, heading straight up the north face. The snow was both deep and taxing. I did my best to set a good skin track, with minimal kick-turns and bushwhacking – the former was much more difficult as the first pitch was fairly steep. After a few hundred feet we reached the road that wrapped around the west side of the mountain and toward the summit. Since our first target was the northern peak, we decided to cross the road and continue switchbacking up the face. Jace took over the lead and led us up through the thinning trees, where the terrain soon started to round over as it approached the summit. Before long we reached the top and were treated to a 360 degree panoramic, including the south summit of Sand Mountain, which had some tasty looking line options down the east face! Although there were some sleds already in the area and highlining the mountain, they were mostly sticking to the cleavage between the two peaks, leaving the best terrain mostly untracked and ready for the taking.

The author leads the charge up the north face of Sand Mountain
(photo by Andrew Boes)

Mid kick-turn
(photo by Jace Akerlund)

Jace, breaking trail on the other side of the road

Flatting out a bit a few hundred feet below the summit

Closing in on the summit

Jace and me showing off our colorful pants at the north summit
(photo by Andrew Boes)

Looking east at Black Butte and Cache Mountain
(photo by Jace Akerlund)

We quickly inspected the snowpack and looked down the line we’d planned to ski, a beautiful ~700’ vertical face with some sparse trees to slalom along the way. Since the snowpack felt stable, we hadn’t gotten any warning signs during the approach, and the terrain was around 30 degrees, we forewent a pit test and opted for a few ski cuts before dropping in. I went first and was immediately treated to some soft turns, which had me grinning ear to ear! Although there was a thin crust on top, it was fragile and didn’t impact the snow quality too much, which was fluffy underneath. After a few hundred feet I peeled off to the side, pulled out my camera and gave the “all clear” signal to Andrew. He entered my frame soon after, painting a sweet series of s-turns both above and below me. Of course, he had to cover me in spray as he passed by, just to let me know how much he was enjoying himself. Last but not least, Jace came down, stacking his line nicely with Andrew’s, in typical Jace style. After putting my camera away, I headed down for the remainder of my run, dialing in my form a bit as I approached the bottom.

The author drops in for the first line of the day
(.gif by Andrew Boes)

Andrew drops in for his first turns of the day

Lots of slope to go!

Jace drops in

Jace, with some style points.

Jace, midway down the slope.

The author, nearing the bottom of the first run.
(photo by Jace Akerlund)

Coming in hot!
(photo by Jace Akerlund)

Andrew, amongst the bushes...
(photo by Jace Akerlund)

It was clear from all of our reactions that Sand Mountain had already exceeded expectations. The best part was that we had only tasted the appetizer, with the southern peak being the main course. With little discussion, we quickly transitioned over and started the climb up toward the south peak. The snow was a little firmer than the north face, which made skinning a bit easier than our initial approach. We were also able to follow some sled tracks that switchbacked up the face; although, we stayed well clear of the valley between the peaks, where most of their traffic was. After about 20 minutes, we reached the saddle and were able to connect with another set of sled tracks that headed straight to the summit. The summit itself was a wide open knob with a rime covered fire lookout as the main attraction. Large cornices guarded the east face directly off the summit, so we headed north down the rim to where we found some good access in the form of a large rollover. In addition to the east face, which is what we were planning to ski, the small crater to the west of the summit looked like it would provide some short but sweet lines as well. Before our second descent, we hung out and had a quick lunch break. The complete lack of wind and partly sunny skies made it extremely pleasant, especially for mid-February.

A sled tests its mettle on the east slope of Sand Mountain

Jace heads back up for a second lap. Hoodoo and Hayrick Buttes in the background.

At the saddle, looking up at the south summit.

Looking back at the north summit, where we took our first lap.

The fire tower on the south summit

Andrew takes in the view

In staying with the same order as our run down the north peak, I made a quick ski cut to test the stability and then dropped in for my line. The snow was very similar to the previous descent, but the upper slope was a tad steeper and completely void of trees. Even though I was having way too much fun and didn’t want to stop, I once again pulled over to the side and set up for some photos. Andrew and Jace followed soon after and continued down the long slope below, with an occasional outburst to express their delight. The sparse trees returned for the last 200’ or so, adding to the fun. As we had expected, the second descent was even better than the first and easily convinced us to head back up for at least one more. With that, we transitioned over, with Jace leading the charge up the hill.

Andrew drops in for his run down from the south summit

Jace, in hot pursuit.

Continuing down

The author settles in for another run
(photo by Andrew Boes)

Partway down
(photo by Andrew Boes)

The author in the open glades near the bottom of the run
(photo by Jace Akerlund)

Andrew kicks up some dust
(photo by Jace Akerlund)

Practicing some slalom turns

Andrew finishes up while keeping the author on his toes

Along with the swarms of snowmobiles that were either actively climbing the face or staged at the bottom of the hill, a couple of other skiers had dropped in and were putting down some nice looking lines on the next zone we were planning to ski. Since they were sans packs, we assumed that they were being supported by one or more of the sleds in the area. As we continued the climb, we were buzzed by one snowmobile, which was obviously a souped-up model, as the previous sledders were sticking to the lower angle terrain. In fact, it appeared that the higher performance crew had started moving in, with the northern peak getting tracked up pretty quick. As we were closing in on the south summit, Jace yelled “Cornice!”. I looked up to see a large section of cornice breaking free of the rim, sending massive blocks of snow down the face of the mountain. Running the full length, it took out some small trees at the base and left a large debris field in its wake. At this point I was still in a bit of shock – although we were out of the debris path, it was definitely too close for comfort certainly and could have killed us had we been below it. My shock quickly turned to anger, especially as laughter broke out from the offending party. My profane laced yelling only elicited an inaudible response and we never saw them again, at least that we knew of. A little shaken, we decided to drop in from our current position and make it our final lap.

Jace, leading us up the hill for a third lap.

Taking advantage of the sled tracks
(photo by Andrew Boes)

closing in on our drop-in point with the broken up cornice in the background 

Summit cornice fracture
(photo by Adam Steffen)

The debris field from the summit
(photo by Adam Steffen)

The debris pile at the bottom
(photo by Adam Steffen)

The debris field from near bottom
(photo by Adam Steffen)

The slope that we would now be skiing had been sheltered from the sun for most of the day, and the snow felt a bit fluffier as a result. Even though I did stop halfway down to grab some more photos, we moved a little quicker on this lap, although it was no less fun. In fact, the snow quality was definitely better and we were even able to kick up some cold white smoke with each sweeping turn we made down the face!

Jace enjoying the wide open slope of the south peak

Andrew surrounds himself in cold smoke

Andrew partway down his third lap, with a cloud-capped Mount Washington in the background.

Andrew plays paparazzi while I paint some lines down the face
(photo by Jace Akerlund)

The author enjoying his final turns of the tour
(photo by Jace Akerlund)

Looking back up at the south summit, showing our lines flanked by the cornice debris field. 

At the bottom once again, we looked over the map and planned our exit strategy. Not wanting to put our skins back on, we decided to skate ski around the base of the mountain using the sled trails. Unfortunately, the first mile and a half were either flat or slightly uphill. This required quite a bit of duck walking, sidestepping and even a bit of hiking (at least for Andrew and me). After a while, we reached the saddle between Sand Mountain and the cones to the north, which signaled the start of the road descent. The slope angle on the middle section of trail definitely sped things up and before too long we reached the parking lot, which was now full of people and dogs playing in the snow – what a great winter day in Oregon!

Heading out

Andrew starts the long ski out

Jace, leading the charge, with a view of Hoodoo Butte.

A rare Jacealope sighting on the way out

Conclusion:
After finally checking Sand Mountain off the list of to-dos, I can say that it was pretty awesome, but also a bit of a mixed bag. The terrain itself is lots of fun and would be reasonable for those that are new to backcountry skiing, especially considering all the skiable aspects and other hills in the area. The main attraction is, of course, the eastern face, which provides ~30 degree slopes of wide open terrain and sparse glades. Unfortunately, it is also the main attraction for the snowmobiles, where this zone is specifically established for them to test their skills and machines against the mountain – just remember that you’re visiting an area that is one of the few spots that is available to them, so be respectful and avoid conflict. Of course, the cornice episode is a different story, when someone puts your life at risk, it’s hard to avoid conflict. As for the approach, it’s long but also goes fairly quick, since it’s essentially a cat track – of course, this is because of the snowmobile community, so we can certainly thank them for that. All in all, this was a great tour, which I would certainly do again; although next time I would get an even earlier start to avoid the majority of the sled traffic, which didn’t really start building until 11am or so.

The tracks from our tour: